At the end of a thrilling final day of the season, Lille secured a spot in the Champions League by holding onto their 3rd place in Ligue 1, while Marseille also made a strong finish by claiming the 5th spot. Nice will have to go through the Ligue 1/Ligue 2 playoff against Saint-Etienne.
In the decisive moments of the season, old foes can become today’s friends. LOSC can attest to that: despite losing to Auxerre on Sunday in the last round of Ligue 1 (0-2), they owe their salvation to their rival Lens, who crushed Lyon (4-0), their main pursuer. So, there was no change in the race for the Champions League. With 61 points, Lille (3rd) maintains their one-point gap with Lyon (4th, 60 pts) and will secure a spot in the C1, unlike Lyon who will have to play in the Champions League preliminary round. While Lille fans marveled at Lassine Sinayoko’s double at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium (32nd and 90th minute), Lyon supporters were left disappointed by the performance at the Groupama Stadium.
Facing a reconfigured Lens team preparing for the Coupe de France final, Lyon suffered a severe 3-0 defeat in the first half (Said 20th and 32nd, Sotoca 45th+1), putting an end to any suspense in the Champions League race. Florian Thauvin then delivered the final blow after halftime (54th).
At the Velodrome, Marseille put an end to the uncertainty. After weeks of doubts and tensions, they swiftly settled the battle with Rennes and Monaco for Europa League and Conference League berths. By scoring two quick goals against Rennes in the first ten minutes (Hojbjerg 2nd and Gouiri 10th) and adding another in the second half (Aubameyang 55th), Marseille claimed the 5th spot (59 pts, +19) for the C3, surpassing their opponents of the night (6th, 59 pts, +8). Monaco, who were closely trailing, could only secure a European spot if Marseille failed. Unfortunately for them, Marseille’s victory sealed their fate, especially after a dramatic defeat to Strasbourg (5-4).
In the final round, the surprise came from the bottom of the table, as Auxerre (14th, 35 pts) and Le Havre (15th, 34 pts) secured their survival with crucial away wins against Lille and Lorient (0-2). However, Nice (16th, 32 pts) will now have to go through the playoffs after a draw (0-0) against Metz, the bottom team of Ligue 1 who are already relegated.
Despite being the favorites given the final round’s schedule, Nice’s chaotic season, marked by Franck Haise’s departure and Claude Puel’s return, did not yield the desired results. Since Puel’s appointment in late December, the former Lyon and Saint-Etienne coach has only managed 2 wins, 9 draws, and 7 losses. His players will now face Saint-Etienne in the playoffs on May 21st and 24th.
Revivez la 34e journée de Ligue 1: [Revive the 34th matchday of Ligue 1]
/2026/05/17/6a0a1d3a08542290164423.jpg "Ligue 1: Nantes vs Toulouse match definitively interrupted after Nantes supporters invade the Beaujoire pitch")
